Recall Facts, Part I

Madam Mayor Ms. Jane Murray began her "political career" in Portsmouth by initiating a recall attempt against her city councilman, Howard Baughman, whose position she hoped to fill. A copy of a news release from her group, Citizens For Change in the Fifth, can be found by clicking here.

"Citizens For Change in the Fifth" was responsible for those little plastic signs that sprang up all over town, especially in the Grandview area, beginning in late 2008. The signs proclaimed: "Portsmouth City Government has NO concern for their residents." (Apparently she didn't take grammar at UK.) Of course, Grandview Avenue is the route to Southern Ohio Medical Center. So thanks to Murray and her supporters, visitors to our town, including prospective doctors and employers, were treated to an on-going display of disgruntled citizens airing their "dirty laundry" for the world to see. What an inviting message for newcomers to our area!

It is interesting that most people who had these signs in their yards left them up until November of last year when Murray was elected. But one citizen in particular only put out her signs for certain periods of time.

Soon after her Grandview Avenue press conference in November 2008, when she announced her intent to recall and replace Howard Baughman on City Council, Jane Murray put several of the yellow signs in her yard on Dorman Drive. When Murray and her group began circulating petitions for Baughman's removal, he decided to step down from council rather than fight the recall effort. At this point the remaining five members of council requested resumes from citizens interested in representing the Fifth Ward.

Murray immediately took her recall signs down and applied to fill the open seat.

Council interviewed her and two other applicants and selected Attorney John Haas to fill the Fifth Ward seat instead of Murray. Murray and her entourage walked out of the council chambers and slammed the door, literally as Haas was being sworn in. Within a day Murray had put her yellow signs back out in her yard.

Her signs stayed out for several months until shortly before she publicly announced that she was going to run for Mayor. She removed the signs from her yards and they have remained down ever since.

After initiating the anti-City government signs and the recall attempt against Howard Baughman, Murray only displayed the signs at her own home when it suited her interests. This should have been an early clue to Jane Murray's hypocrisy and self-serving tactics.

Murray's political career in Portsmouth began with a recall and it will likely end with a recall. Part II of this series will describe the process of recalling a Mayor according to the Portsmouth City Charter.